


Summer Storm

by lovelyairi



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Historical, M/M, fictional universe, it's going to be angsty, will have eventual smut, youngjae is going to be very indecisive half the time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-04-04 09:01:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14016822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyairi/pseuds/lovelyairi
Summary: Youngjae finds himself back in time with nothing more than the clothes on his back and his History textbookA book that holds the future of Prince Daehyun who finds himself falling in love with this strange man





	1. Stay [Prologue]

Youngjae watches Daehyun with his breath caught in his throat and his heart pounding in his chest, to the point of being painful. He’d seen this scene numerous times before, the sight of Daehyun readying himself to go off on a journey. However, unlike the other times, this was no mere trip to the neighbouring kingdom, no, this was a war. And Youngjae knew that this was the point in fate, where Daehyun would be cruelly taken from the world too young.

His hands are clasped together tightly, his knuckles white. He has a number of thoughts running through his head but he isn’t sure he’s hearing anything properly. Daehyun finishes saddling up his horse and he turns over his shoulder, eyes meeting Youngjae’s in an instant. Needless to say the young Prince was no fool and he could sense the anxiety swimming through Youngjae since the moment he’d announced he’d be going off to war.

Daehyun approaches Youngjae cautiously, giving him a few moments to process that the Prince was now in front of him. He immediately reaches out to hold onto Youngjae’s hands, hoping to ease them of their grip. Daehyun doesn’t say a word and he meets Youngjae’s eyes, a small smile on his lips, reassuring in all ways possible. Yet, Youngjae’s face contorts and he has tears brimming in his eyes in a second.

“I will be back Youngjae, I will come back to you,” Daehyun frowns unsure of how to comfort his love. Youngjae shakes his head and he grips the sleeves of Daehyun’s shirt harshly, his nails digging into the Prince’s skin. His eyes meet Daehyun’s, bright and sad as if they knew more than Daehyun could ever know. He bites his lips to hold in his sobs and tears stream down his face. Daehyun freezes not expecting to see Youngjae so broken.

“You won’t. You won’t come back,” Youngjae speaks abruptly and certainly. Daehyun blinks in surprise and he pauses for a second. Trying to dissect Youngjae’s foreign speech that he still hasn’t gotten used to. However, Daehyun ignores Youngjae’s words, pulling him into a hug that is thankfully immediately reciprocated. Youngjae shakes in his arms, holding on tightly as if he’s afraid Daehyun will disappear.

“I will not leave you all alone, I will be home sooner than you know it,” Daehyun’s words fall upon deaf ears. Youngjae doesn’t care what he says at this point, no words could ease how he feels right now. He vaguely remembers his history textbook sitting in one of his satchels inside of Daehyun’s quarters. The words there had been clear. Youngjae wanted to stop him, selfishly keep Daehyun _alive_ and breathing next to him.

But he was too afraid of what would befall history if he did.

 


	2. Back In Time

When Youngjae wakes that morning all he can feel is something weighing him down. His body feels heavy while his mind is empty. His eyes struggle to open but unlike others who manage to hit the snooze button to steal a few more minutes of sleep, he’s awoken in an instant. He sits up like the dead and reaches for his phone sitting on the bedside table to turn off the alarm. Youngjae sits there for a few minutes, processing his dreamless sleep and what he needs to do.

Firstly, he needs to get out of bed, that would be a good start he thinks. Youngjae groggily gets out of bed, almost tripping on the sheets spilling all over the mattress. He stumbles towards the washroom and quickly relieves himself before he washes his face and brushes his teeth. It’s just another day and he really could care less about school right now. Thankfully it was already Thursday meaning the weekend was close.

As Youngjae returns to his room to get dressed for the day he stares at his whiteboard that he barely used. It had a decent outline of a calendar on it and he saw that for today’s date, April 15th, he had a big red reminder that his History project was due today. Youngjae curses under his breath and he knows that he can’t throw anything together so he decides to just live with it for now and so he can work on it later. It wasn’t like he cared about History class anyways.

Youngjae glances at the clock and he sees that he has about 10 minutes before the bus comes. So he throws his school uniform in a rush. He makes sure to put on a hoodie and he tops his head with a beanie. He then grabs his bag and headphones, slipping them onto his head and connecting them to his phone. His parents owned a bakery down the street, meaning they were always gone early and home late. Not that Youngjae minded.

He was currently in his last year of high school and he was more than ready to be done with it all. He hated how he constantly felt tired or in some kind of rush regarding his future. Clearly there was something wrong with the education system if students would rather spend weeks in a hospital recovering from a car accident rather than weeks trapped in their homes studying for tests. Youngjae sighs and he heads straight out the door, locking it behind him before he heads to the bus stop.

Mornings in his neighbourhood were always quiet. His neighbourhood was of middle class and was occupied by elderly people who’s gardens were magnificent he’d have to admit. His parents too would love to have a beautiful garden but they were too busy with their jobs and Youngjae as a student couldn’t be damned. He makes sure to greet his neighbours politely since he’d been taught to do so and he arrives at the bus stop in a hot minute.

He doesn’t bother sitting on the bench and opts to lean against the booth instead. His lips mouthing the words to whatever song he’s listening to. Within a few minutes the bus pulls up and only then does Youngjae notice the other students in his neighbourhood waiting to board. He gets onto the bus and shows his student pass before he makes his way to the window seat near the far back. Youngjae sits down and rests his head against the window, sighing as he goes through the motions of another day.

 

“So you’re still going to show up even though you don't have anything to hand in?” Jaebum asks with disbelief as he leans against his locker, waiting for Youngjae to grab his things. Lunch period was just about to end but of course students liked to loiter until the very last minute. Youngjae takes out his history textbook from his locker and he laughs at himself for not even bringing it home. Jaebum on the other hand genuinely seems concerned.

“I’ll be fine, it’s not like I haven’t done it before. Just have to endure a few death glares throughout class,” Youngjae speaks nonchalantly. He knew how focused Jaebum was when it came to their grades, they were in their last year of high school after all, it was an important year. Youngjae didn’t really care, he’d probably just end up working at the bakery if he didn’t find something he was passionate about.

“Look I have to go, I’ll see you after school?” Youngjae sighs, gripping his textbook tight. Jaebum opens his mouth to answer but then he seems to receive a text because he checks his phone with a frown.

“Seems like coach wants us to meet after school, I’ll see you tomorrow Youngjae!” Jaebum exclaims before he runs off. Youngjae turns to his left and he makes his way down the hall, avoiding students as well as he could. He particularly hated any groups that decided to plant themselves in the middle of the hallway as opposed to the edges, he made sure to give them nasty glares when he passed.

Youngjae enters the stairway and hauls himself up to the third floor, trying to act like it didn’t make him completely lose his breath. He heads down the arts and history hall before turning into his class, not surprised to see it half full. Youngjae sees a message written on the board, telling them to hand in their projects before class, there was an arrow pointing downward and when he followed it Youngjae awkwardly met his teacher’s eyes.

“Youngjae, your project?” Mrs. Lee asks with her eyes narrowed and her reading glasses lowered. Youngjae does his best to give her a charming smile before he clears his throat,

“I’ll have it done for tomorrow,” he states and he rushes to his seat before she can say anything else. After that Youngjae is subjected to watching every student arrive with their projects pristinely presented, as well as the few who don’t have it done or have clearly half assed it. Some students didn’t even type anything, resorting to just tossing a lined sheet of paper on Mrs. Lee’s desk.

Youngjae looks through his history textbook, completely ignoring the section they were concentrating on as he looks at who he has to do his project on. It is none other than Jung Daehyun, a prince who never managed to reach the throne since he was killed in a civil war. According to the books this man was quite the looker and he had women flaunting at his feet. Truthfully Youngjae couldn’t really tell since he didn’t look all that great in the historic paintings in his textbook.

He falls asleep halfway through the lecture and is jolted awake when the bell rings. Youngjae drags himself to his biology class next but it seems that the labs are closed because of some kind of freak accident that occurred early that morning due to the first year chemistry class. He’s excused for the rest of the day and he really couldn’t be more thankful. There was nothing Youngjae wanted to do more than finish up this project and work in a small nap before his evening shift at the bakery.

On his way out of the gates he gets stopped by a few teachers who ask to see his schedule, only letting him go when they confirm that he was indeed in 12th year biology. Youngjae zips up his hoodie when he exits the school gates to avoid any more unnecessary attention from his uniform and he decides he won’t take the bus home. It was only a 20 minute walk from the school after all, if he passed through the park.

To be honest he wouldn’t mind walking to school every day but his parents felt that it wasn’t safe since a lot of the city’s homeless tended to stay the night at the park only disappearing a few hours before noon. As Youngjae makes his way down the walkways he notices a number of people simply sitting around enjoying the nice weather. It definitely wasn’t crowded and as he ventured further down the trail the people vanished all together.

Youngjae took a deep breath and he decided to remove his headphones, just in case anything did happen he wanted to be alert. So he tosses them into his bag safely before he continues walking. Youngjae pauses when he reaches an old looking fountain and he frowns, not having seen this before. It didn’t look identical to any of the others inside of the park, it looked aged. As he was inspecting the fountain he failed to hear a branch snap from above him, falling and hitting him square on the head.

Youngjae gasps as he falters and his foot gets caught in the wrong way on the cobblestones. His ankle snaps when his body falls and his hips hit the edge of the fountain, Youngjae plummets into the water and he screams when the water violently drags him under.

 

Youngjae sputters and coughs as he’s brought back to the light. His nostrils and mouth are filled with water as he tries to breathe again and in his disarray he fails to notice the hands leaving his chest. His throat feels like it’s on fire as he forces out cough after cough and only when he feels a hand soothingly stroking his back does he open his eyes. He’s instantly met with a grassy meadow and he hears the bubbling of a stream.

When he looks up he’s shocked to see a handsome face looking at him. Bright eyes are lined with utter concern but Youngjae can’t help but look at his features. He has a beauty mark sitting under his left eye and he has a high nose, followed by thick and luscious lips. All of his features were too large actually but somehow he made it work. They spend a few moments staring at each other before the mystery man clears his throat.

“I found you floating down the river, are you alright?” Youngjae swears that the shiver running down his spine is from his soaked clothing. The man has an odd accent he isn’t used to, which results in him blinking blankly until he understands. Youngjae stares at him for much too long before he slowly tries to piece together his memory. However, the more that he stares at him the more he finds resemblance to those horribly painted photos in his textbook.

 _No way… it couldn’t be_.

“Your clothes are rather odd, have you come from a Western province?” the man continues to speak and he pokes at Youngjae’s soaked uniform with curious eyes. Youngjae looks around and he sees his bag to which he crawls to a little too frantically. He’s reminded of his most likely sprained ankle but he quickly puts it aside when he digs through his bag.

“Your satchel, it is not made from leathers or skins? What is this material?” Youngjae ignores the man’s prodding at his bag and he’s shocked to find it missing his laptop, his cell phone, even his pencil case was gone. Youngjae finds nothing more than his history textbook, which has shrunk in size. He takes a deep breath and opens it, the pages that are miraculously dry open up to a certain chapter and when he reads the words he feels faint.

“Fuck, what the fuck, fuck fuck,” he curses as he violently throws down his textbook. The man seems utterly shocked and Youngjae hadn’t even paid attention to the top knot sitting on his head, followed by the bright purple hanbok. This had to be a practical joke. There was no way in hell this man was Jung Daehyun. Jung Daehyun died, over 700 years ago. Youngjae gathers his things and he feels the world spinning around him.

“That language, are you from across the sea-? Oi!” Youngjae feels the sudden wave of nausea and of course his natural instinct tells him to run. So that’s what he tries to do, but the moment he stands, pain shoots up his ankle like fire and he cries out in pain, falling to the ground helplessly. Daehyun makes a move to check the damage but before Youngjae can stop him, he passes out on the grass.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very short and boring chapter because I wanted Youngjae to be back in time already LOL altho I did give y'all some back story on him  
> I'm going to love Daehyun's character, I already know. Also, this is going to be completely FICTIONAL. I'm sorry I can't be bothered to do major research atm ;; so I'll be trying to build my own universe here, similar to how I did Peaches  
> Thank you~  
> \- Airi


	3. Mer

Youngjae’s eyelids feel heavy as he feels himself regaining consciousness. His fingertips feel numb and his head is spinning. He’s definitely not on top of his mattress because the hard floor beneath the futon underneath him did not provide the same comfort that a memory foam mattress did. Reluctantly, Youngjae finally opens his eyes. He almost wishes that he hadn’t. He clenches his fists as he looks up at the ceiling.

He scoffs and wonders why this was happening to him. Was this all a practical joke? The structure of the room as well as the embroidered screen door behind him was all too realistic. The room was decorated with different ornaments and things that he’d only ever seen in the historical dramas that he watched with his mother. Youngjae sits up and he does the only plausible thing, he pinches himself on the forearm, hard.

He bites his lower lip as he continues pinching himself before deciding that it wasn’t going to do anything. After all, everything felt much too real for it to be a dream. Youngjae looks around the room once more before he finally notices his bag that was neatly placed beside the end of the futon. His mind flickers to the words in his textbook and he shakes his head, feeling that he should deal with that later.

Youngjae is too distraught with his thoughts that he can only smack his cheeks as he tries to think of what he should do now. He doesn’t even notice the sound of someone announcing their presence nor does he register the man who appears in the arched doorway. Youngjae’s eyes widen when the man rushes towards him and his eyes are wide as he looks over the emerald green hanbok. The man gives him a cold stare,

“Please do not hurt yourself further, I have brought the Royal Physician,” the man says in a harsh voice and Youngjae drops his hands quickly, his cheeks burning as he keeps his eyes down. Another man appears, this one dressed in a dull blue and his facial hair is an ashy grey, his skin aged. Youngjae doesn’t move a muscle when the physician kneels down on a cushion at the end of his futon that he hadn’t even noticed.

“If I may look at your ankle,” the man murmurs and Youngjae scoots close elegantly before he pulls the sheet off of his body. He sticks out his right ankle, feeling awkward when he notices that he’s been stripped of his school uniform, now wearing a hanbok that was of a dull yellow colour. He hadn’t even noticed that his ankle was already properly bandaged, Youngjae clears his throat and he looks up at the stoic eunuch through his long fringe.

“Umm where am I?” Youngjae asks cautiously, worried that this man was going to hurt him. He winces when the physician prods on his swollen skin the wrong way and the man quietly apologizes. The eunuch walks to the wall behind Youngjae and he slides open a window that he never even noticed. Youngjae turns his body awkwardly to look outside, the sun is shining brightly but all he can see is a grey wall that stretches high.

“You are currently in the Royal Palace, in a small building behind the Star Building that belongs to the Crown Prince. You were brought back by the Prince himself who stated that you were in no position to be left alone. Be grateful to our kind hearted Prince who saved you,” the eunuch speaks to Youngjae like he’s some kind of servant. He wonders if that was common here. Then again, he can see that there’s something else in his cold orbs.

There is fear.

To the eunuch and physician, Youngjae was of the unknown. He could see by the way they looked at him. He stuck out like a sore thumb despite being in their clothing, despite being a Korean native himself. The most notable difference was how Youngjae’s hair was short and dyed auburn, sitting on top of his head in a messy mop. Everyone else in this room surely had their hair in top knots, sitting under their hats that he didn’t know the names of. 

Personally he thinks that he’s pretty harmless looking. He’s been told that his face was small and cute, which he’d argue with since he’d much rather be called handsome. He was quite average in height but his build was a little on the smaller side, he’d stopped playing soccer when he reached high school and his potential muscular body was now a fleeting dream. Not that he minded, he was comfortable with how he was. Youngjae blinks when he realizes he’s been lost in his thoughts and he coughs when he sees how the eunuch and physician are staring at him.

“I’m sorry what?” Youngjae asks and they don’t even try to appear like they understand what he just said. Youngjae looks back at his ankle and sees that it’s all been taken care of and he positions himself back on the futon so that he can face the two officials who are looking at him like he has a third head. Youngjae clasps his hands in his lap and he can’t cross his legs so he lets them hide beneath the small table beside his futon.

“Where do you come from?” the physician asks and Youngjae has to really listen for his brain to dissect the ancient Korean. How should he answer anyhow? Say that he’s from the future? There was no way they would ever believe him. Plus, he didn’t want to risk giving out any possible information that could change how they’ll view things. His plan was to return to the future as soon as he could. Youngjae tries to think of possible places that they wouldn’t know of.

“I’m from a small island off the east coast called… Mer,” Youngjae smiles in an attempt to make him appear less suspicious but then he feels that the smile might be worse for his case so he removes it. It’s not like they travelled across the sea often right? And when Youngjae thinks of the ocean he thinks of mermaids so it was believable wasn’t it. Youngjae feels the air getting heavier and he shifts nervously.

“I was leaving my island when I got lost in the storm, I can’t remember anything up until the moment I was saved,” Youngjae isn’t familiar with the way he should address Daehyun yet so he omits the title, realising too late that he probably shouldn’t have done that because the eunuch was killing him with his stare. Youngjae clasps his hands tighter to hide his trembling and he really just wants to go home.

“His Highness found you by a stream by the Palace. The ocean is a long way from the mainland,” this sounds like an accusation. There is no room in his tone for discussion and Youngjae is speechless. The physician approaches him quietly and wordlessly requests permission to poke at his head, Youngjae nods. He sits there for a few moments and he flinches when a sharp pain emerges from the back of his head.

“There appears to be some damage here, perhaps the boy is telling the truth,” he mumbles and pulls away from Youngjae just as the sound of an announcement sounds from outside. Youngjae blinks in shock at the way the eunuch and physician immediately drop their heads to the ground, bowing low as they keep their eyes closed. Youngjae’s jaw drops when he sees Daehyun enter the room and he quickly fixes himself, attempting to bow but he doesn’t know the proper form nor does his ankle allow him to.

“Eunuch Song, Physician Jeon, leave us be, but please bring us refreshments and snacks from the kitchen,” Daehyun’s voice is deep and full of authority. He hears a collective chorus of, “Yes your highness” before they are truly left alone. Youngjae can feel sweat forming underneath his fringe as he keeps his head down, his heart pounding when Daehyun takes a seat comfortably in front of him on the other side of the table.

“Lift your head,” the command is simple and Youngjae can only obey. He hesitates slightly, not knowing how to act in front of royalty when he was naturally defiant by nature. The moment he lifts his head he sees Daehyun staring at him. Today Daehyun did not have a large hat atop of his head that had a long beaded string hanging from it. Today he was dressed in his royal blue hanbok and he had his crown atop of his head.

“Do you recognize who I am? Tell me, say it out loud,” Daehyun says with no expression on his face. Youngjae feels afraid all of a sudden, the reality of his situation smacking him across the face. This was none other than Jung Daehyun, a man who died 700 years ago. He was alive and breathing in front of Youngjae who had come from the year 2018. Truthfully, Youngjae didn’t know how he was supposed to refer to Daehyun, he only knew what he read in his textbooks.

“You are this country of Joseon’s, Crown Prince, Jung Daehyun,” Youngjae repeats what he saw when he watched a drama and he tried to avoid eye contact, knowing that he wasn’t allowed to do that. Daehyun seems pleased with his answer because he shifts closer and rests his elbows on the small table, looping his fingers together as he rests his chin atop, tilting his head before a playful grin appears on his plump lips.

“You appear to know who I am, yet I have no inkling of who you are. Enlighten me would you?” the moment those words leave Daehyun’s mouth Youngjae decides that he was dangerous. Jung Daehyun was dangerous. The way he speaks is smooth, almost too smooth it’s clear that he was used to getting what he wanted. His question sounds innocent yet he’s already backed Youngjae into a wall.

He makes a mental note to be careful around Daehyun. Youngjae could feel it, the way Daehyun spoke could cause him to reveal even his smallest secrets without thinking twice. And in Youngjae’s case that wouldn’t be a very smart move since the Crown Prince was who he was worried about the most. Youngjae smiles wryly and he sees how Daehyun fidgets uncomfortably, only noticing now that the Crown Prince was sitting on the floor while here he was sitting on a semi comfortable futon.

“U-uh would you like to take this seat? I can sit over there,” Youngjae flails his arms around and he makes a move to stand up only remembering that he can’t a little too late. He tries to scoot his way off of the futon but Daehyun raises a hand causing Youngjae to freeze immediately. His eyes glued to the Prince like he was a rabid animal that would attack if he made another uncalled move.

“I am fine where I am, you are injured therefore you should be comfortable,” Daehyun flashes another toothy grin and Youngjae doesn’t like the way his stomach flips around. He was a man yet he smiled like a boy. Daehyun reaches for the cushion that the physician had used and he sits on it with a thud before he leans his cheek against his palm, staring at Youngjae like he was fascinating. 

“I have been informed that you come from the sea, where from?” Youngjae could’ve sworn that Daehyun arrived out of nowhere just now so how did he know about Youngjae’s lies? Youngjae looks down at the wooden table for a moment, admiring the faint lines in the polished furniture. He didn’t know much about the sea, only having been there once when he was younger. Much younger, it was almost 7 years ago?

“I have always had an interest for the sea, but alas I have not found the time or means to go,” Daehyun says quietly and Youngjae feels like he’s trying to ease the atmosphere, not that it works but the gesture is appreciated anyhow. Youngjae purses his lips and he reminisces of the time he visited the sea for the first time. Those many years ago it’d only been his mother, his older brother and him. His father wasn’t able to leave the bakery unattended. Youngjae shakes his head and can’t afford to miss them when he has no memories.

“I’m Yoo Youngjae and I come from an island called Mer, but I don’t remember anything other than my name and my hometown,” Youngjae lies in a way that he hopes is believable and his stomach drops when Daehyun’s brows furrow. He doesn’t believe him. But he also makes no motion to deny this in anyway to Youngjae’s relief. The two remain silent when the eunuch returns with a tray adorned with a teapot, two small cups and a plate of brown and white sweets.

“Here, have some of this black taffy,” Daehyun gestures to the plate and Youngjae does as he is told, prying the hard candy off of the plate before he brings it to his lips. It’s sticky beneath his fingertips but not enough to be tacky and he takes a bite. He doesn’t chew since it will probably get stuck in his teeth but he does jostle it around in his mouth with his tongue, delighted at the deep roasted sweetness that spreads all over his tongue.

“Since you fainted by the stream you slept for two nights, and the sweetness should spark your hunger since it is clear you are not feeling starved,” Daehyun informs him quietly and Youngjae realizes that he’s right. Youngjae continues eating the taffy, enjoying the taste now that he’s used to it. A small smile spreads on his lips and he can’t help the natural bounce he does when he tastes something sweet, he doesn’t notice the way Daehyun looks at him.

“Be sure to drink some tea once it has cooled as well,” Daehyun pours said tea and a rich fragrance fills the room. Youngjae nods and the fact that the Prince is serving him tea completely flies over his head. Daehyun sits back once their cups are full and he helps himself to a white log looking thing that crackles like a cookie when he bites into it. Youngjae has no idea what it is.

“As the Crown Prince of this country, I have never met a single person like you. I apologize but I had to go through your things to assure that you were not a threat but I was not able to understand your book,” Daehyun admits and Youngjae’s reminded of his reality once more. He sighs knowing that this was going to be a regular thing. Surely he wasn’t even allowed to be inside the Palace, he was a complete outsider. Not only from the Palace but from this very time period itself.

What was he supposed to do here? And most importantly, how was he going to get back home to his own time? Youngjae wants to confide in his textbook but it’s clear the damned thing was only focused on writing Daehyun’s story, not his own. Maybe if he read between the lines he could figure out what he was supposed to do. Youngjae drops his hands to his lap helplessly and he feels heavy hearted.

“Youngjae?” He lifts up his head quickly and he looks at Daehyun who looks like he’s waiting for some kind of response. Youngjae mentally curses at himself because he really needs to start paying attention to avoid being weirder than he’s sure he already is. Playing off as an islander was as far as he could go, it was only about time before they saw through his bluff. Youngjae bows his head,

“I’m sorry your highness, I didn’t hear what you said,” Daehyun frowns and Youngjae feels worried for a split second before he sees that the Prince is simply trying to translate what he said. He was semi well versed in ancient accents because of the dramas he’s watched although he would have to admit that they were quite different than on television. 

“You do not have to call me by my title Youngjae, call me freely, am I perhaps your hyung-nim?” Daehyun’s eyes brighten at the prospect of being called hyung and Youngjae hates to break the fact that he was more of a grandpa to him. So he keeps mum, wanting Daehyun to repeat what he said earlier. It takes a moment for Daehyun to realize and he clears his throat, 

“Would you like to see the Palace? There will be no need venture further than my pavilion but I would like to show it to you,” Daehyun’s cheeky grin makes another appearance and Youngjae is almost mesmerized by the lines in his face, he’d never seen that on anyone else before. It looked like whiskers almost. Personally, he would like to get a tour of the Palace, after all when would he ever get the chance again.

“That would be great, Daehyun… seja,” Daehyun stands up instantly and he holds out his hand for Youngjae to grab. It takes a few grunts before Youngjae is standing on the futon, one foot hovering in the air since he knows not to apply pressure on it. Daehyun doesn’t let go of his hand and Youngjae blinks before he looks around, they weren’t expecting him to hop around right? Were there crutches in this era?

“How am I going to walk around?” Youngjae asks and Daehyun doesn’t hesitate to pull him closer. Youngjae’s eyes widen as he’s squished against the Prince and Daehyun moves one of Youngjae’s arms over his shoulder while wrapping the other around his waist. He smiles down at Youngjae (although their height difference wasn’t that big) and he squeezes him close for emphasis.

“Fret no more, I will help you,” Daehyun gingerly helps Youngjae walk across the room and out of the doors which are opened by a familiar grumpy eunuch. The eunuch gives them the most scandalous look, glaring at Youngjae like he should know better but he truly doesn’t. He wasn’t aware of all of the rules just yet. Daehyun let's go for a second to slip some shoes onto his feet before he resumes the seemingly intimate position.

“Your highness this is highly inappropriate,” the eunuch sputters in shock but Daehyun pays him no mind. Helping Youngjae down the steps before he begins to guide him along the stone pathways. Youngjae glances up at Daehyun in worry but the Prince doesn’t seem even remotely bothered. He can only duck his head in embarrassment when they pass by some of the servants who pause to bow at the Prince passing them by.

“The building you are staying in resides near the south wall past my Star Building. Here there is not much but there is a garden, and the building I study in,” Daehyun gestures to whatever he mentions and Youngjae swallows hard. He feels like he’s in a hanok village, only everything is much more grand and surreal. Youngjae tries not to focus on the rumble of Daehyun’s voice reverberating through his chest and instead he freezes upon seeing a fountain identical to the one in the park.

“Youngjae?!” Daehyun calls out as Youngjae pulls away, hobbling over to the fountain desperately. He places his hands on the stone edge and grunts as he pulls himself up, effectively diving in head first which was a foolish idea because his head slams right into the base of the fountain. Youngjae gasps as cold water pierces his skin and he prays to be sent back to his own time. 

But nothing happens. The water does not bubble nor does it suck him down into a vortex. He just remains there, with his legs hanging out of the fountain since it wasn’t deep enough for his whole body. Youngjae feels his heart drop when he’s pulled out in a hurry, sputtering coughing to clear the water from his nose and his mouth. Daehyun looks at him in what seems to be amusement and he chuckles,

“You will have to tell me more about your strange fascination with water.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boring chapter, kinda repetive wording but uhh here's more Daehyun and Youngjae  
> I don't have the next chapter planned yet so that'll take some more time  
> Thank you!


	4. 11:11

After his little incident with the fountain he’d been promptly lead back to “his” room and forced to sit there as if he’d been grounded for his actions. Daehyun’s eunuch had scolded him for being so careless while the physician told him that his ankle had been strained even more and that he’d have to be much more careful as to not cause permanent damage. Daehyun had laughed it off and excused himself before returning to whatever duties he had, leaving Youngjae alone with a skeptical eunuch and silence.

“Shouldn’t you be following the Crowned Prince around?” Youngjae asks when he’s given clothing to change into. Eunuch Song definitely doesn’t seem impressed with him in the slightest, hell he probably hated him even more now. Youngjae doesn’t make a move, not wanting to expose himself in front of a stranger. Not to mention how he had no idea to put on a hanbok, having never actually worn one before. The last thing he wanted was to be seen struggling in an era where everyone wore hanboks.

“His Highness has ordered me to stay with you until your assistant arrives,” Youngjae’s jaw drops and he takes a second to process those words. His face scrunches up before he sneezes and Eunuch Song glares at him when he sniffles and wipes his nose with his sleeve. Youngjae remains completely still as Eunuch Song wordlessly gestures for permission to undress him and honestly at this point Youngjae just wants the sopping wet clothes off of his back. He closes his eyes and ignores the heating of his cheeks as Eunuch Song removes his hanbok.

“I don’t need an assistant, I’m no one of importance,” Youngjae mutters loud enough for Eunuch Song to hear him. He hops as he loses his balance and uses the Eunuch as an anchor, his eyes shooting open and an apology spilling from his lips as he backs away. Youngjae sighs in relief when warm and dry clothes cover up his bare upper half and Eunuch Song hands him the pants. He sits down ungracefully before removing the soaked pants that stick to his skin.

“His Highness insisted, I too was against it. Your assistant will be arriving with your evening meal, I will leave you now,” Eunuch Song gathers Youngjae’s wet hanbok and bows before he leaves. Youngjae lets out the breath he’d been holding and he lays down on the futon, resting his ankle on a mound of cloth that had been left there. His ankle now had a splint which made walking even harder than it was before. Maybe diving into a fountain headfirst wasn’t a good idea.

Youngjae looks up at the ceiling and he traces the wooden beams with his eyes. How did one tell time in this era? The day had gone by quite slow so Youngjae couldn’t imagine that it was already time for dinner. His eyes close at the thought of dinner and he remembers his mother. Both of his parents spent their days at the bakery but his mother often came home around 5:30PM to cook dinner for him. His father usually stayed back so they didn’t eat together often, his mother would bring his father food when she returned to the bakery for the rest of her shift.

Most bakeries were open during the early morning to maybe mid afternoon but not Bread for Yoo. Not only was it a bakery but it also doubled as a café which meant that it only closed its doors at 8PM since students and families alike enjoyed spending their evenings there. Youngjae had stopped helping out at the bakery a long time ago, telling his parents that he’d rather focus on his studies since he had no interest in taking over the business. They’d respected his wishes.

“Yoo-nim, your evening meal has arrived!” A voice Youngjae doesn’t recognize announces from outside and soon after the doors slide open, revealing someone who looked younger than he was. This boy couldn’t be older than 16 Youngjae thought, his eyes were much too bright, skin too clear and youthful. The teen smiles at him as he enters, carrying a tray of food in his hands. He’s tall and has to lower his head to avoid hitting it against the arched doorway.

“My name is Choi Junhong and I shall be your assistant from today onwards,” Junhong sets down the tray in front of Youngjae and kneels before bowing. It makes Youngjae more than uncomfortable, hell he wasn’t used to being bowed to in any manner, definitely not in a respectful manner like so. He clears his throat awkwardly and he can feel his tongue salivating as the smell of roasted fish and warm soup reaches his nose.

“Hi Junhong, I don’t actually know why I need an assistant… but thank you! For bringing this to me,” Youngjae sputters and mumbles all at once. Junhong seems momentarily stunned by his different dialect but doesn’t comment on it which Youngjae is thankful for. Junhong crosses his legs but he never becomes too casual, clearly drawing a line between them from the beginning. Youngjae doesn’t like it, if anything he’s below Junhong in status.

“His Highness said that he would be reassured if you had a guide, one that knew their way around the Palace,” Junhong explains with his hands neatly folded in his lap. Youngjae wonders what kind of childhood Junhong had, he seemed much more proper than Youngjae could ever aspire to be. He furrows his brows at Junhong’s statement, not understanding why he’d need someone familiar with the Palace when he wouldn’t be going anywhere?

“Have you been in the Palace long? How old are you Junhong?” Youngjae asks and he wasn’t planning on eating just yet but his stomach betrays him with a deep growl. His cheeks flush and he keeps his head down when Junhong laughs lightly and gestures for him to eat. Youngjae takes the first mouthful of rice along with a spoonful of soup and he’s delightly warmed in an instant.

“I am actually studying under the scholars of the Palace at the moment, I will have reached my 17th year in the Autumn,” Junhong says quietly and Youngjae can only nod, not too familiar with the ways of ancient Korea. Youngjae focuses on eating and he’s relieved that Junhong doesn’t watch him, probably sensing that he feels awkward. Also he’s glad Junhong doesn’t ask him any questions, he needs to come up with better lies if he’s going to live in this era.

“Thank you Junhong, umm you’re dismissed?” Youngjae says with a wave of his hand and thankfully Junhong seems to understand him, even though he’d initially furrowed his brows in confusion. He settles himself under the blankets of his futon, careful of his ankle but also in need of a different position because his butt felt numb. Junhong picks up the tray with ease and he bows politely,

“I wish you a pleasant evening, I shall be in the east side of the building if you need me,” and just like that, he was gone. Youngjae exhales and he drops down on the futon, the food sloshing uncomfortably in his stomach. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. One thing Youngjae noticed was that the palace was very quiet. Maybe it was due to where he was but he was used to hearing the sound of cars passing by at night, the occasional siren or angry neighbour.

However here everything was much different. Youngjae didn’t feel like he could ever belong here and his heart ached for home. He begins to regret not enjoying his time in the present much more, taking his parents and his friends for granted without even knowing it. He sits up a little too quickly and feels the blood rushing to his head. Youngjae opens his eyes and his bag sits in his view, he hadn’t touched the thing since he was moved to this room.

Youngjae feels like his textbook would hold the answer, it had to mean something right? It was the only thing that came to this time with him. Shuffling forward with his wrapped foot in the air Youngjae grabs his bag and then proceeds to crawl off the futon towards the slide doors to that opened to the small field of grass. The doors slide with ease and Youngjae squints at the bright moonlight above. He sits so that his legs are dangling above the grass and he opens his bag.

His hands find his History textbook quickly and he tosses his empty bag to the side, taking a deep breath before he opens it. It still smells like dust and old paper he thinks and when he opens to the first chapter it is no longer an introduction but instead it was paragraphs and paragraphs about Jung Daehyun’s youth. He’d have to read about that later though because he can feel today’s events creeping up on him, making him tired.

As Youngjae yawns he flips through the textbook towards the page that stunned him the day Daehyun found him. His eyes skim over the page, starting from the fact that Jung Daehyun was preparing for his coming of the age ceremony that happened every third Monday in May since he was 19 years old. Youngjae finds it odd that before Daehyun had been just some dead guy in a textbook but now he was a living person, only a year older than he was.

He continues reading and he freezes when he reads a paragraph that was not yet finished, it had two sentences and the rest of the pages were blank. ‘ _Jung Daehyun has an argument with the King about his succession over the throne, he states that he is not yet ready. That evening he befriends a foreigner who he finds lying by a bubbling brook_.” That had to be him right? Although had no idea why he would possibly be considered a foreigner.

Youngjae read the words over and over, trying to make sense of it inside of his head. Was this really happening right now? How was this even possible? How the _fuck_ had he ended up inside of his History textbook? Youngjae groans and he slams the book shut, tossing it on top of his bag half heartedly as he runs his hands down his face, exasperated. Did this mean that whatever he did would be written in this book? If he was in this book then what about the present? Was he still there? No… he was here. He shakes his head and sighs.

He didn’t know what this all meant just yet, so his best option was to sleep on it.

 

The next day in the late afternoon Youngjae convinces Junhong to let him go to the fountain. Turns out the teen had been warned that Youngjae had acted strange the moment he saw it and tried to jump inside, he didn’t even bother trying to correct him. Youngjae made up the excuse that water help him think and he wanted to remember why he’d ended up at the Palace. A white lie didn’t hurt anyone right?

Youngjae ends up sitting on the edge of the fountain. It was easy to sit on because of how wide and flat the rim was, Junhong stands close by ready to grab him if he does anything strange. He’d only been there for a total of two minutes before Daehyun is approaching in the distance. Youngjae looks at the Crowned Prince and has to look away because of how brightly the sun was shining behind him. Daehyun comes closer and Eunuch Song along with his other attendants keep their respectful distance.

“Youngjae, if you wish to swim then I am sure we can find another option. I am sure Junhong has already shown you the baths?” an amused smile is etched onto Daehyun’s handsome face and Youngjae doesn’t like how he finds the Prince’s sharp canines very endearing. Daehyun bounces on the balls of his feet before he leans on the edge of the fountain, inches away from Youngjae’s swinging legs. Daehyun rests his chin on his palm and looks up at Youngjae with a bright smile, unable to see burning cheeks due to the sunlight.

“I was just about to tell Junhong about wishing wells,” Youngjae says honestly. It’d been quite awhile since he’s seen a fountain without an array of coins scattered across the bottom. This seems to intrigue Daehyun as well because the Prince adjusts himself so that he was leaning in a more comfortable manner. Youngjae clears his throat and he hopes that they’re not expecting a lecture because he literally just knows about tossing a coin into a fountain and making a wish.

“Where I’m from there’s a small tradition, well not really a tradition since not everyone does it but umm basically when you pass by a fountain like this you take a coin and you throw it inside as you make a wish,” Youngjae explains and he uses hand gestures just in case there was some alternative way of calling a coin. Both Daehyun and Junhong stare at him with different reactions. Junhong seems downright confused while Daehyun seems intrigued.

“Where did this tradition come from?” Daehyun asks and Youngjae avoids his bright puppy like eyes, not wanting to lie directly to him. His parents used to tell him about it when he asked about the coins at the bottom of any public fountain they passed but as he grew older it kind of just moved to the back of his head.

“I don’t actually know, it was something my parents told me about. If you could wish for something what would you wish for?” Youngjae lightly dips his hand into the cold water and he watches his reflection dance on the water. Thinking about his parents just made him sad again, Youngjae sighs and he flicks the water off of his hand before carelessly wiping it on his hanbok.

“I would wish that you could find your way home,” Daehyun says quietly and Youngjae looks at him. The Prince is drawing patterns on the water, his eyes sad and his lips pursed together. Youngjae feels the mood taking a darker turn so he decides to lighten it up, a smile forcing it’s way onto his lips before he gently nudges Daehyun’s elbow not hearing the shocked gasp coming from Junhong and Eunuch Song.

“Eager to get rid of me aren’t you Daehyun-seja?” Youngjae teases and his smile disappears when Daehyun stands up straight, eyes intense as he looks at him. For a moment there’s nothing but the sound of the wind and Youngjae can hear his blood pumping through his ears. Daehyun seems to notice his change in behaviour and he smiles at him before shaking his head. He turns back to the water and dips his fingers in once more, writing something in characters Youngjae can’t follow.

“I do not want you to be sad, you looked sad when you thought of your parents,” Daehyun pouts and Youngjae resists the urge to clutch his heart. He doesn’t have a chance to reply because in the close distance he can see two girls approaching with their postures straight and their hanboks beautifully coloured. One is dressed in with a red top and a mint green bottom while the other is dressed in a dark pink top and a blue bottom. They look quite similar.

“Oraboni! You promised us that you would keep us company today,” the girl in red says first, her face scrunched up as she huffs and stomps her foot. They didn’t look much younger than Junhong did, but seeing them beside each other Youngjae could guess that not only were they fraternal twins but they were also definitely of royal blood as well. He shifts on the fountain and suddenly feels odd about being so much higher than everyone else.

“I also said that I was busy today and therefore could not keep you two company, remember?” Daehyun deadpans and Youngjae wonders what it’s like to have younger sisters. No doubt the royal family was brimming with good looks, although the twins looked nothing like Daehyun did. They both had pale skin while he was dripping with honey. Youngjae could feel his confidence plummeting though with all the good looks around him.

“You did not tell us about your guest oraboni,” the girl in red continues and Daehyun groans, laying across the edge of the fountain dramatically. Youngjae wants to pat him on the back but he guesses that wouldn’t be very appropriate. For a split second he meets the eyes of the girl in dark pink and she averts his gaze, her head down and her cheeks flushed. Was the sun bothering her? It was pretty warm in the Spring after all.

“This is Yoo Youngjae-nim, a guest of mine until he recovers. I have not informed His Majesty nor Her Highness because it does not need to be told,” Daehyun says in a stern tone and even though his back was facing Youngjae it wasn’t hard to tell that he had a serious ‘Don’t you dare tell on me’ expression on. For a second Youngjae recalled having read about an argument between the King and the Crowned Prince, what if he ended making things worse?

“Youngjae-nim where do you come from? I am Euijin and this is my sister Minjae,” Euijin is much more extroverted obviously, Minjae doesn’t even look at him. Youngjae bows as well as he can since he’s still sitting on the fountain and out of the corner of his eye he can see Eunuch Song judging him so he attempts to get off to properly greet them but Minjae gently touches his hand. Youngjae freezes and Daehyun’s jaw drops,

“You are injured, it is fine we know your kind intentions,” Minjae says in a soft voice and Youngjae doesn’t know what to say. When she’s this close he can see that she too has a mole near her left eye but unlike Daehyun’s hers was off to the side rather than beneath like his. Daehyun steps in between them and pulls her hand off of Youngjae’s with a frown on his face. She steps back surprised and Daehyun huffs,

“Minjae gongjoo, please do not touch my friend so casually. You are a Princess,” Daehyun scolds her and her cheeks darken before she bows in apology. Youngjae doesn’t see what the big deal is but it seems like the evident skinship in present day South Korea definitely did not begin in the Joseon era. He offers her a smile when she nervously looks up at him and she huddles close to Euijin.

“Tomorrow oraboni! Remember that you promised,” Euijin points at him playfully and Daehyun sighs with a nod. Youngjae bows goodbye and he lifts his head to the sky. The sky was much different than what he was used to. The skies in Joseon were bright blue, clear and free of all the future pollution. However, it made Youngjae feel small and lost. He didn’t belong here and that was becoming clearer and clearer each minute. Daehyun pokes his leg and steals his thoughts,

“Youngjae, how about we talk to Shaman Himchan? I’m sure he could help us,” Daehyun smiles and he lets his fingers dance on Youngjae’s thigh before he pulls away completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sonamoo's Euijin and Minjae play the part of Daehyun's sisters, altho they only somewhat resemble one another and they look completely different from Daehyun :D  
> Oraboni = oppa and Gongjoo = princess but for Sageuk which is the language/dialect thingy in like historical dramas. I'm very well versed as y'all can tell  
> I don't have much to say but Himchan will be introduced soon ^^


	5. Home is Far Away

Travelling over to the Shaman’s pavilion was no easy feat. Especially not with Youngjae hobbling along and needing to take a breath every few hops because of his lack of stamina. Junhong had offered to act as a crutch of sorts but Daehyun didn’t seem all too pleased with that meaning Youngjae resorted to hopping and trying not to put any pressure on his ankle. Holding onto the Prince like the other day wasn’t an option either since they’d be travelling through the Palace and Youngjae fancied his head.

They also had to take a number of “secret” pathways as Daehyun had called them since Youngjae’s presence was still unknown to the Palace and being seen by the servants wouldn’t bode well for them since they liked to gossip. As they walked along Youngjae felt his mind wandering as to how the Shaman could possibly help him. He didn’t know much about them or what they did for the Royal family but would said Shaman be able to see that he didn’t belong? What if he was seen as some kind of deity or worse, something malicious?

Youngjae was probably thinking too much, after all he had the face of a baby chick according to Jaebum. And even though Youngjae himself didn’t believe in those words, they had to hold some kind of truth right? As he follows the Prince he can’t help but admire the Palace he’s making his way through. If anything it created a weird nausea in the pit of his stomach, it somewhat confirmed that he truly was in another time period, one that wasn’t his own. It made his heart race and Youngjae exhaled deeply to keep himself from going into shock. He tried to remember that one time he’d visited a hanok village during a school trip but even in a traditional homed neighbourhood it didn’t feel nearly as authentic as this.

There was something unsettling about the Palace. Youngjae had watched enough korean dramas to know that most of the time things weren’t always fine and dandy when there was power involved but then again, maybe things were more peaceful in these times. But then he remembered his textbook and suddenly he was uneasy all over again. Youngjae shakes his head and he staggers slightly, needing to regain his balance as he presses his hand onto a nearby building, the wood smooth beneath his fingertips. Daehyun turns and approaches him quietly, a concerned look on his face.

“You’ve a lot on your mind, I can hear the wheels running inside of your head,” Daehyun frowns and even pouts a little as he talks and suddenly Youngjae realizes how thick his lips are. He blinks when he finally manages to translate the Prince’s words and he immediately shakes his head with a small smile on his lips. His hand clenched into a fist before he pushes off of the wall, steadying himself before he gestures for Daehyun to continue walking. The Prince reluctantly turns, clearly wanting to ask more but Youngjae is grateful that he doesn’t. He didn’t want to lie to Daehyun more than necessary and creating false worries wasn’t what he needed right now.

“I do hope that Shaman Himchan can assist you, there is no one in this Land that is wiser than he,” Youngjae hoped so as well. Even if he couldn’t help per say, maybe he could offer some kind of guidance because Youngjae had no idea what he was supposed to do. It didn’t seem like staying in the Palace was an option and becoming a normal citizen during this era wasn’t exactly plausible either. As they continue to pass through the small pathways lined with plants and gardens, they finally reach what seemed like a large tiled court that had a sole pavilion standing behind it. The sight was quite daunting and Youngjae immediately hesitated in the shadows, scared to hop into the sun.

“That is where we will find the Shaman, no need to be afraid Youngjae,” Daehyun says with a comforting smile and he holds out his hand. Youngjae looks down at it cautiously not wanting to step over any boundaries. Daehyun’s arm begins to waver from being held up for so long but it’s clear he has no intention to drop it, wanting to Youngjae’s hand in his own to support him along the area where no buildings or trees could be used to lean on. Junhong stands quietly off to the side, unsure of what to do. As Youngjae reaches for Daehyun’s hand, a rustling can be heard behind them and he laces their fingers in surprise.

“Your highness! I have been searching for you everywhere! I have told you before, please do not leave my sight,” a very deep voice reaches new heights out of pure exasperation and Youngjae pauses when he sees a figure emerge from the bushes. Unlike that of the nobles or eunuchs this man had no headpiece, his hair was long, hanging over his shoulders but half of it was tied in a bun at the back of his head. He had serious features and tanned skin, his build was tall altho not taller than Junhong and his clothing were black with accents of red. Youngjae couldn’t take his eyes off of the way he slowly reached for the sheathed blade hanging on his waist the moment he saw that the Crowned Prince had his hand held.

“At ease Yongguk, I have other matters to attend to and if you come with you will simply nag at me,” Daehyun says with a frown and although Youngjae tries to pull his hands away the Prince only holds him tighter. Almost like a warning to stand still and considering Youngjae was teetering on one foot he was thankful for the support. Yongguk who seemed to be staring at both him and Junhong was quiet as if trying to understand the situation. Youngjae wondered how Daehyun had even managed to sneak out of the palace to find him if he had a personal guard. Although he couldn’t really tell if Yongguk was good at his job or not.

“You have a schedule your highness and I assure you the future of our country is much more important than… this,” Yongguk gestures to both Youngjae and Junhong as he speaks. Youngjae isn’t sure if he should be offended or not but despite having a snarky comment on his tongue he remains mum due to the mention of the future. If his memory serves him well, Daehyun wasn’t going even going to become King before his… death. The word makes his stomach churn and he loses his footing, his head spinning.

“He is a guest of mine Yongguk, an important guest and so you will apologize to both Yoo Youngjae-sshi and his assistant Choi Junhong-sshi,” Daehyun steadies his hold on Youngjae, holding his forearms securely rather than just his hand upon seeing him falter. Yongguk purses his lips and he sighs but bows his head, keeping his arms close to his sides.

“I apologize, however your highness I would request that you let me accompany you from now on,” Yongguk says quietly and Daehyun nods, knowing that his own selfish behaviour could’ve gotten his guard and friend in trouble. Together they make their way across the courtyard, and Youngjae feels the sun getting to his head, why is he so weak today? Perhaps it had something to do with the aching in his ankle and the weird feeling that wouldn’t leave his stomach every time he saw more and more of the palace.

As they reach the steps that lead into the Shaman’s pavilion Youngjae receives help from both Yongguk and Junhong, Daehyun walks ahead to announce his presence which thankfully doesn’t need to be done loudly for a few maidens are about to exit when they see them. The two maidens are immediately flustered, bowing lowly before they scurry off when told to find Shaman Himchan. Youngjae pulls away from Yongguk as soon as they reach the top and he does his best to thank him but it comes out in a whimper since the guard scares him. They enter the building and Youngjae instantly feels uncomfortable as he does.

Unlike his own pavilion (he couldn’t speak for others since he’d never been) this one is built in a way that keeps sunlight very minimal. It is very dim and Youngjae can smell the faint scent of incense burning strong, a veil of smoke in the air as they pass through what must be the main room and into another. In this room there are a number of golden vases lining the walls, along with other things he can’t find it in himself to be curious about right now. Daehyun walks with confidence and Yongguk is close behind him, which leaves Youngjae who’s being supported by Junhong.

At the end of the room Youngjae sees a figure, one that has a high bun and a black hat like almost everyone he’d seen in this era. His hanbok however resembles more of a gown, with long white over piece with a black underpiece. He has a red sash hanging over his shoulders and he seems to be holding a stick of incense, he turns to look at them and he looks past Daehyun, staring straight at Youngjae.

“You’ve met with a terrible fate, haven’t you?” the question sends a chill down Youngjae’s spine and he knows for sure that this must be the Shaman, who else could he possibly be? Himchan places the stick of incense in a small stone pot that sits on an altar before he approaches them, nodding at the Prince who acknowledges his greeting. Youngjae freezes, his grip on Junhong’s arm tightening unconsciously as he looks at the Shaman. A terrible fate? Sure he’d known that falling back in time wasn’t exactly wonderful, but terrible?

“You carry a different air with you stranger, where are you truly from?” Only now does Youngjae notice that one of Himchan’s eyes carry a deep lilac colour, it’s absolutely mesmerizing and he wants to tell the truth. But he won’t.

“I come from an island called Mer, I don’t remember anything else,” he answers carefully and he doesn’t notice the way Daehyun tenses beside him. Himchan can read through his lie, he knows it but he also can’t afford to tell people he’s not from this time, that sounded incredibly insane. Himchan steps back with a knowing glint in his eye but he says nothing more, merely turning to Daehyun who has a frown on his face.

“May I ask where you found him your highness?” Youngjae looks over to Daehyun, wondering if he’d given the Shaman a visit already. Otherwise why would Himchan know that he was found and not visiting? Then again maybe it had to do with his feigned amnesia and injured ankle. Himchan made him feel anxious, he didn’t like it.

“By the the stream outside of the walls,” Daehyun answers and Youngjae hasn’t ever heard that tone from the Prince before. He sounds serious and almost solemn. Himchan purses his lips and he looks at the four in front of him. They all fidget under his odd gaze except for Yongguk who remains stoic. Himchan smiles and he directs his attention back to Youngjae, gesturing to his foot that he was keeping lifted off the ground.

“When your ankle heals, do return. Go now, or the sun truly will get to your head,” Himchan dismisses them all and Youngjae has so many more questions than he had when he’d gotten there. Wasn’t the point for Himchan to guide him? Why was he confusing him even more? What did he mean by the sun when they were in a room that made it feel like it was night time? Daehyun however turns to leave and they can only follow. Youngjae is provided support as they head down the stairs and through the hidden pathways once more.

This time he’s receiving full support from Yongguk and Junhong while Daehyun walks almost a little too far ahead. Youngjae is thankful for the help because he really was beginning to feel lightheaded but he wasn’t oblivious and he knew that something was wrong with Daehyun. They arrive the small pavilion that was now his home within minutes and as they enter Daehyun turns to them.

“Junhong go prepare a bath for Youngjae, Yongguk leave us be,” Daehyun says without an ounce of hesitance and the two leave Youngjae in an instant. Sensing the worry in Youngjae Daehyun offers a smile as well as his hand which is quickly taken with shaking fingers. The two make their way down the halls towards Youngjae’s bedroom. Daehyun helps him sit down on a cushion but doesn’t let go of his hand, he kneels down so that their eyes are meeting and Youngjae holds his breath.

“You have said before, that you recall nothing. Yet why was it you were able to speak of your parents and of the wishing wells?” Daehyun asks with his eyes down and Youngjae pauses. He opens his mouth to reply but nothing but air comes out. How was he supposed to come up with an excuse granted Daehyun would know it was a lie? The Prince says nothing more but he squeezes his hand tightly before he lets go, before he walks away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Yongguk and Himchan, I was going to make Himchan's odd eye pink (to match his matoki colour) but it seemed weird to give him a pink eye ...  
> Hey y'all, sorry I know this is late and it's short and it ain't even that great  
> Honestly speaking I'm in a bit of a writing slump  
> I don't have much to say otherwise  
> As always thank you for being patient with me  
> Himchan's first line is taken from The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask by the way


	6. Butterflies

It’s been three days since Youngjae last saw Daehyun. As expected he hadn’t come up with any other ideas as to how he could possibly make it back to the present nor did he know why he was here to begin with. It couldn’t be to save Daehyun, no, that wouldn’t make any sense. Saving Daehyun would cause a rift in the World’s current historical events. Youngjae doesn’t know, he really doesn’t. And so for the first time in a few days, he decides to leave it be. Obsessing over his History textbook and what he should do shouldn’t be his priority right now. He should be focused on well… fitting in, making the best of it. Maybe figuring out more about the era he’d been dropped in. Naturally, he’d want to do so with Daehyun, already quite fascinated with the man but their last encounter hadn’t been the best. Youngjae would have to watch what he spoke of from now on. 

His ankle is much better and although he still needs to avoid putting his full weight on it, he can limp rather than hop now. Junhong has been wonderful company and Youngjae has learned a lot about the boy. Junhong became a student of the scholars due to his brilliance shown in the city. He’d been scouted by a scholar who’d been playing a game with another at a restaurant that Junhong found himself working in. The game involved solving a riddle and Junhong had spoken out of turn but was rewarded instead. He’d been orphaned at a young age but was helped by a lot of the villagers due to his kind heart. Youngjae could understand that, just by knowing Junhong for the past few days he could tell that the boy was intelligent and had his morals straight. He was but a year younger than Youngjae was but for some reason he felt as though Junhong was wiser in mind and spirit.

“Junhong, can we go back to the fountain? I’d like to read there, I like the sound of flowing water,” Youngjae asks quietly, feeling guilty about interrupting Junhong who was currently reading over his books. Youngjae had tried to read the ancient script but it looked like gibberish to his eyes, he never was well versed in Chinese characters. Junhong lifts his head and his eyes look tired, he nods slowly and yawns before stretching. After a few days of awkwardness Junhong finally spent his free time with Youngjae rather than hiding out in his room until he was called upon. Youngjae enjoyed the company anyways, it made him feel less foreign. He frowns, missing the Crown Prince once more. Junhong was still pretty formal with him, whereas Daehyun hadn’t been. Youngjae wasn’t used to being treated like someone important.

“Of course Yoo-nim, shall we go?” Junhong stands up first and he doesn’t even teeter. Youngjae on the other hand is suffering from a serious case of numbed legs. He has no idea how anyone in this era can sit on a flat cushion for hours with their legs crossed without wanting to keel over within 10 minutes. He doesn’t see himself getting used to it anytime soon. Youngjae reaches out his hands and Junhong takes them with a smile, helping him stand up slowly. Youngjae had once been pulled up too quickly and he ended up collapsing which resulted in more strain on his ankle. Youngjae thanks him and he grabs his History textbook before he makes his way over to the doorway, stepping onto his slippers to put them on. 

“Has Daehyun-seja been busy lately Junhong?” Youngjae asks as they walk on the cobblestone pathways he’s become familiar with. He takes a deep breath and inhales the cool wind. The season had changed yet the air was so unfamiliar to him. The Spring air in the past was much lighter, it felt like it was helping him breathe rather than suffocating him. Then again, he’d probably just had too much going on to properly appreciate the air he had in the future. Junhong hums and he catches Youngjae when he stumbles on the uneven stones. Junhong props him back upright and they continue. Youngjae hasn’t noticed it yet but dark eyes are watching them from the shadows.

“Yes his highness is currently preparing for his coming of age ceremony that will take place in a fortnight,” Junhong explains and Youngjae bites his lip. He should’ve known that. He read about it in his textbook. He’d have to ask Junhong whether or not they had a calendar, he couldn’t afford to lose track of time like this. They make their way through the Prince’s side of the Palace and Youngjae was beginning to find the place somewhat comfortable. Then again, he didn’t have any wishes to venture around the rest of the place, the less people he ran into the better. They reach the fountain and Youngjae takes a seat on a nearby stone bench this time. Being near something familiar was good for him he thinks. It reminded him of home.

Junhong takes a seat beside him and they resume whatever it was they were doing in Youngjae’s room. Junhong opens his books again whereas Youngjae holds onto his textbook. He hesitates and doesn’t plan on opening it just yet. He’ll have to start a journal at some point as well, it feels like he’ll go insane if he doesn’t get his thoughts out somehow. Youngjae inhales deeply and he lifts his head, feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin. He smiles and closes his eyes, his mouth parted ever so slightly as he feels a soft breeze pass him by. However, the sun’s rays shining through his eyelids go dark and he frowns before opening them. Standing in front of him was none other than, Princess Euijin and Minjae. Youngjae is surprised to see them and he stands so that he can bow properly.

“Youngjae-nim, oraboni said that you’re his guest but who are you really?” Euijin asks him with her head tilted, her painted lips pursed. Minjae is standing a little behind her as usual and she’s blatantly staring at him. Youngjae feels his cheeks flush at the attention and he sits back down before remembering he should probably offer his seat to the Princesses. Junhong is already standing off to the side with his head down. Youngjae stands and he offers for them to sit and Euijin takes his offer, pulling Minjae along with her. He spots his textbook which he left on the bench and Minjae picks it up for him, passing it along. 

“What language is that?” Minjae asks and Youngjae begins to conjure a number of excuses in his head. Euijin reaches out for the book but Youngjae unconsciously pulls back. They all freeze and the air grows tense.

“I-I apologize, it is a language we speak where I am from, it’s an important… book,” Youngjae explains himself poorly. He knows that. But he also can’t come up with a better excuse right now so he looks over to Junhong for assistance. 

“We apologize your highnesses’, Yoo-nim needs to change his bandages and he needs to rest his ankle,” Junhong says in a professional tone and the Princesses look a little disappointed but they excuse him. As Youngjae limps away he feels a feather like touch on his shoulder and he turns, surprised to see Minjae rather than Euijin.

“It would lovely to get to know you more Youngjae-nim, when your ankle heals of course. Take care,” Minjae smiles at him sweetly and she bows once more before rushing back to her sister. Youngjae blinks and he follows Junhong back to his pavilion. As they enter Youngjae can vaguely hear Junhong mentioning something about drawing a bath for him. Youngjae goes to put his textbook back in his bag and he can feel his hair in his eyes, he hasn’t trimmed his fringe since going back in time. He doesn’t think the top knot look will suit him though. Would they find it strange if he continued to cut his hair? Youngjae shakes his head and he heads towards the baths, knowing that Junhong is probably done by now. 

Youngjae enters the bath room and Junhong is nowhere in sight. He closes the door behind him and removes his hanbok, finally getting a hang of the numerous layers wrapped around his body. Due to the steam in the room his skin doesn’t erupt into goosebumps as soon as he’s naked but it still makes him a little uncomfortable since the room was so large. He knows that he’s supposed to wash himself before soaking but he goes straight into the bath, removing his bandages as he does. Youngjae sinks into the hot water and he exhales deeply as he rests his head on the edge of the wooden tub. The minerals and essential oils used in his baths truly were wonderful, immediately putting him at ease as soon as he sat down. It also did wonders to his skin. 

The room is a little quiet for his liking and he enjoyed listening to music whenever he took a shower so he does as he always does, he sings. It starts off small, but as he gains more confidence he sings a little louder. He mainly sings EXO or B.A.P, finding their music the most like his own taste. Youngjae’s melody gets cut when he begins to remember his home, his parents. Tears begin to fill his eyes and he sighs, sitting up straight before covering his face with his hands. Youngjae tries to keep his cries quiet, as quiet as they could be in this huge bath room with thin doors and wooden walls. If Junhong heard him crying he wouldn’t mention it but he’d try to cheer him up and Youngjae didn’t want pity. No one would understand. He’s suddenly reminded of how alone he really is. The door suddenly slides open and Youngjae turns in surprise, he sees Daehyun stood there with a neutral expression on.

Youngjae doesn’t say anything as Daehyun closes the door behind him. He’s dressed in his usual royal blue robes and he exudes authority that Youngjae could never have. Daehyun approaches the tub and he kneels down on the floor so that they’re at eye level. Daehyun’s eyes never wander, only staring straight into Youngjae’s teary eyes. Youngjae unconsciously flinches when Daehyun gently wipes his tears away with his soft sleeves and they’re both quiet. Having spent days away from each other when they didn’t really know one another at all. Daehyun looks tired, days of not getting proper sleep visible on his face.

“Tonight would you like to go on a walk with me? I’ve yet to show you the Palace due to my duties and during the day won’t do,” Daehyun asks quietly and Youngjae doesn’t know how to respond at first. He leans away, having unconsciously leaned forward when the Crowned Prince wiped his tears away. Youngjae rubs his eyes and slicks back his hair, keeping his body submerged so that Daehyun wouldn’t possibly see him, however his honest eyes haven’t left his face. 

“Daehyun-seja, you should rest,” Youngjae tries to keep his voice steady but it trembles anyways. He didn’t want to show weakness, yet here he was. Daehyun smiles at him and it looks genuine, that same boyish smile Youngjae saw days ago. 

“A walk with you is worth more than rest. I do not wish for you to be alone right now, as your… friend, I would like to be with you when you are sad,” Daehyun grins once more and his hand hovers for a moment. He stands and turns away before he goes towards the door. Youngjae watches him go and he doesn’t turn around, closing the door shut behind him with an empty sound. Youngjae can feel fluttering in his stomach and he dips his head into the water, letting out a scream of frustration. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been so long, I'm so sorry  
> I don't really have any excuses, I've just been working on other things lately  
> To those of you who are still waiting for my stories, I'm very thankful  
> It's a very short chapter, I know, I'm gonna have to do some thinking and see how I'd like this story to progress  
> It's moving quite slowly right now  
> Thank you <3


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